Re: Subprogram Renaming

[mab@dst17.wdl.loral.com (Mark A Biggar)]

In article <316AEA8D.7600@csehp3.mdc.com> "James A. Squire" <m193884@CSEHP3.MDC.COM> writes:
>Still (!) Nobody has answered the $64,000.00 question:  WHY IS THIS SUCH
>A GOOD THING?  In other words, why did they waste their time adding this
>ability to rename a subprogram body.  Why should I do:
>package q is
>  procedure j;
>end q;
>package body q is
>  procedure k;
>  procedure j renames k;
>end q;
>when I can do:
>package q is
>  procedure k;
>end q;
>package body q is
>  procedure k is ...
>end q;
>Now that I KNOW I can do in Ada83.  Since the parameter spec has to
>match exactly, I see no point to doing a rename in the body and hiding
>it from the user.  All you are changing is the name it goes by.  What's
>the point?

Actaully the important case to look at is the following:

package q is
  procedure j;
end q;

with t;
package body q is
  procedure j renames t.k;
end q;

This allows the reexport of a procedure defined elsewhere with out requiring
a possible error introducing wrapper procedure.

--
Mark Biggar
mab@wdl.loral.com